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We love casseroles and this Tuna Casserole does not disappoint. It is so creamy and the topping is crunchy and delicious. Give this a try and you might be surprised just how delicious it is.
Casseroles do not have to be boring and this tuna noodle casserole is so tasty and delicious. The cream of mushroom soup makes the pasta mixture so creamy and the best comfort food in each bite.
Serve this for an easy weeknight meal or take to your next potluck. It is rich, hearty and very filling. If you love tuna, then try Tuna Macaroni Salad, Keto Tuna Salad Recipe, Tuna Salad Sandwich Recipe and Tuna Pasta Salad Recipe.
Table of Contents
Why We Love Easy Tuna Noodle Casserole
You are going to want to make this tuna casserole easy recipe this week. Even if tuna isn’t your favorite, you are going to love this easy casserole. Tuna Casserole recipe is easy to make with simple ingredients.
Trust me when I say it is that good and so simple to prepare. Every good casserole needs a topping and this one is crunchy and flavorful for the best casserole your family will love.
Ingredients
- Tuna – Use the type of Tuna that you prefer
- Egg Noodles – You can also use other types of pasta
- Butter – We used unsalted butter
- Onion and Celery – We used vegetable chopper to ensure that the veggies about the same size
- Frozen Peas and Carrots – This mixture is available in a can as well
- Condensed Mushroom Soup – Use canned cream of mushroom soup or you can make Homemade Cream of Mushroom Soup Recipe or Cream of Celery Soup Recipe
- Milk – We like using whole milk because of the rich flavor
- Cheddar Cheese – Feel free to use other types of shredded cheese
- Panko Breadcrumbs – We like using Italian bread crumbs
Scroll to the bottom for the full recipe and ingredients in the recipe card.
Recipe Variations
- Cream of Soup – You can change the condensed cream of mushroom soup to cream of chicken soup.
- Add Fresh Vegetables – Add in some fresh vegetables. We recommend mushrooms, green beans and peppers.
- Change the topping – Instead of using panko bread crumbs, Ritz Crackers, use potato chips for the crunchy topping.
How to Make Tuna Casserole
- Step 1 – Prepare Oven – First, preheat your oven.
- Step 2 – Combine topping ingredients – Melt butter and whisk the ingredients for the topping together and set aside.
- Step 3 – Boil Noodles – Boil the wide egg noodles al dente texture in a large pot with a tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. All to simmer then drain and rinse under cold water.
- Step 4 – Sauté Veggies – Sauté the celery and onions in melted butter until they are soft and tender.
- Step 5 – Combine the tuna mixture together – In a large bowl, whisk together the cream of mushroom soup with the mix. Then stir in the onions, celery, peas and carrots mix, tuna, noodles and shredded cheddar cheese.
- Step 6 – Add to casserole dish – Last, spread into a casserole dish and sprinkle the casserole with the topping mixture.
- Step 7 – Bake and enjoy – Bake for about 20 minutes to 30 minutes and serve and season with a teaspoon of parsley, parmesan cheese, kosher salt and black pepper.
Expert Tips
- Baking Dish – Pour tuna casserole in a baking dish and bake until golden brown. This recipe is perfect in a 9×13 casserole dish. The ones with the lid are really handy if you are taking this dish somewhere. I use the disposable pans for the one I put in the freezer.
- Cook Noodles – Cook noodles separately until the are cooked al dente.
What to Serve with Easy Tuna Casserole?
This tuna casserole is hearty and delicious so we tend to make sides that are light. These are some of our suggestions.
- Homemade Biscuits – Learn how to make these easy homemade biscuits that pair perfectly with this casserole.
- Side Salad – A simple green salad and biscuits are the perfect combination for a complete meal.
- Roasted Vegetables – Make a side of roasted broccoli or asparagus for a delicious side for this casserole.
Frequently Asked Questions
I like to use the canned water-packed tuna. Just make sure to drain it before mixing with the other casserole ingredients. You could use the packets of tuna as well if you prefer such as oil-packed tuna or seasoned tuna.
Yes, you will need to boil the noodles before combining with the other ingredients. You will need to cook them in a separate pot of water. Cook the noodles according to package or al dente.
Yes, this is the perfect casserole to make ahead of time. You can prepare it the night before baking and place in the fridge or freeze it. This is a time saver for me to prepare ahead of time.
Storage and Freezer Tips
- Storing – Store the leftover tuna casserole in the refrigerator in an airtight container. It will last about 3 to 4 days if stored properly.
- Freezer – This is a great recipe to double the recipe to freezer for a friend or to stock your freezer. Just make the casserole as directed but I like to use a tin toil pan for the one going in the freezer. However, instead of baking, cover with foil and allow to cool. Once cooled, freeze the casserole. When you are ready to bake, remove from freezer the day before you want to eat it and allow it to thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour covered, and 15 minutes uncovered. You might have to adjust the time based on your oven.
- Reheating – Reheat individual servings in the microwave or place in a baking dish and reheat in the oven.
More Easy Casserole Recipes
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Easy Nacho Chicken Casserole Recipe
Easy Slow Cooker
Crock Pot Chicken Red Pepper Casserole Recipe
Easy Casserole
Chicken Hashbrown Casserole Recipe
Easy Casserole
Cheeseburger Tator Tot Casserole
We love to hear from you. If you make Easy Tuna Casserole Recipe, please leave us a comment or a star review.
Tuna Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 can water packed tuna 5-6 ounces drained
- 3 cups egg noodles
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1/2 onion diced
- 2 stalks celery diced
- 10.5 ounces condensed mushroom soup
- 1/3 cup milk
- 1/2 cup frozen peas and carrots
- 1 cup cheddar cheese
For the Topping:
- 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
- 1 tablespoon butter melted
- 1 cup cheddar cheese (shredded)
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
- Mix together the topping ingredients in a mixing bowl and set aside.
- Boil noodles al dente according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water.
- While the noodles are cooking, sauté the onions and celery in the butter until soft (5-6 minutes).
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together to cream of mushroom soup with the milk until well combined.
- Stir in the sautéed onions and celery, peas and carrots mix, tuna, pasta and shredded cheese.
- Spread into a 2 qt casserole dish or 9X13 baking dish.
- Sprinkle the topping mixture evenly on top.
- Bake 20-30 minutes uncovered until golden brown and heated through.
- Let set for 5-10 minutes and then it's ready to serve and enjoy!
I decided to try this Tuna Noodle Casserole, because now that I’m ‘all grown up’ it sounded good to me, and my husband agreed. It was a big hit for both of us and I will be using and sharing this recipe. I decided to take your suggestion for changing out the veggies since we are not big fans of peas. I used 1/4 c chopped fresh green peppers and a 1/4 c fresh mushrooms. (I might try the mushrooms with broccoli florets sometime, too.) Question, I didn’t know what I was supposed to do with the tablespoon of butter for the casserole itself, so I left it out. I did use the tablespoon of butter for the topping. Thanks for the recipe!
Delicious
Yes you can.
Can I make this ahead and then refrigerate until I’m ready to bake it?
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for sharing!
Excellent quick recipe! I did sautee the onions in butter and add a little garlic before mixing it all in with the noodles. Thanks for a great recipe!
I think those additions would be great in the recipe – let us know how it turns out!
Im going to try adding sour cream along w/ soy milk see what happens….. thoughts??
I’m so glad that you loved it. Yes, you can sauté the celery and onion prior to mixing them in you prefer them to be softer. Thank you!
This was the best tuna casserole I’ve ever had. However, the celery was still very crunchy. Was there possibly a step missing that said to sautee the onion and celery (because there was 1 Tbsp of butter mentioned that was in addition to the butter needed for topping)? I will make this again!!